Pump



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2"mlili/l/ilwf, INA M ALEXANDER MHz/ame BY Feb. 12, 1946. A. v. MUELLERPUMP Filed Jan. 1l, 1944 arrows.

' varied greatly.

Patented Feb. 12, 1946 Alexander V. Mueller,

Salem, Ohio, assigner to The Deming Company, Salem, Ohio, a corporationof Ohio Application January 11,.4 1944, Serial No. 517,175

. 8 Claims. (Cl. 103-113) This invention relates to a self-priming pumpof the type where some of the discharged liquid is returned to thesuction s ide of the pump to effect the priming and there isautomatically acting means to shut off such returning liquid when nolonger needed.

The general object of thev invention is to provide a self-priming pumphaving discharge and suction passageways with a communication betweensuch passageways, extraneously of the impeller, closed during the normaloperation of the pump but available whenever necessary to supply primingliquid to the impeller independentof the relative pressuresl in suchpassageways. To this end, I have so arranged my pump that therecirculation of liquid is controlled by the fluid pressure in thedischargepassageway andis independent of the pressure in theinletpassage way, whether'the pump has been standing and its operation juststarted or whether it loses its prime during operation.

A further and particular object of the invention is to devise aself-priming pump with a control of such character, and so connected foroperation, that stopping of the recirculation shall not be affected byvacuum or reduced pressure in-the suction conduit to the impeller butshall take lplace equally well with slight or great negative pressure insuch conduit.

Other objects and features of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description of a preferred embodiment ofthe inventionillustrated A in the drawings.

-it in the closed position; Figure 4 is a radial section of thecontrollingdevice taken on the linel 4-4 of Figure 3 looking in thedirection of the As shown in Fig. 1, Ill designates a suitable pumpframe having a vertical end plate ll. 20 designates the driving shaftwhich is shown asA mounted in a frame-,carried bearing 2l and embracedby a stuffing box sleeve 22 mounted in a cylindrical portion I2 of theframe. On the end of the shaft shown is keyed the impeller 30 which isshown as having a disc portion 3l bearing, in a complementary recess` inthe frame member Il and as carrying suitable vanes 32. The construction,described is merely illustrative and may be The impeller vanes 32operate in an impellerl casing 40, shown as of volute form and as havinga central suction intake passageway 4I leading to the eye of theimpeller and a suitable dis# charge orice 42. This "volute impellerycasing 401s shown as an integral part of a casting providing thedischarge and suction passageways and a chamber for the valve but, ifdesired, all ofthese parts may be 'separate casings secured together.

In the form shown, the liquid passageway to the pump comprises a suctionchamber 44 leading from the suction inlet 45, preferably as high as thetop of the impeller, thence leading downwardly and inwardly at 46 to theeye of the impeller. The casting provides a discharge-chamber 41 intowhich the orifice 42 empties, which discharge passageway is shown asterminating above in a discharge orifice 48 and as continuingdownwardlyA below the suction conduit 4I into the space designated 49.

' 50 and 5I designate the outer wall of. the dis.

charge chamber. The wall 50 leads downwardly from the discharge orifice48 until it merges with the suction conduit 4I while the4 wall portion5|'- continues downwardly to the base of the chamber portion 49. Asuitable barrel-like wall 53 connects with the walls 50 and 5I at theouter edge and with wa1ls54 and 55 at the'inner edge. These inner` wallsterminate in the same vertical plane where they abut the vertical faceof the pump member Il to.-which they are bolted. One of such bolts isshown at 60 and there is preferably an interposed gasket 6I betweenthese parts. The recirculating valve is carried in a chamber 10 of itsown shown as provided by the same casting which provides the suction anddischarge chambers. Figs. 1 and 3 show'rig'id extensions of the outerwalls of these chambers furnishing a wall 12 of general conical formwhich at its upper end continues at a sharper angle and merges withhorizontal under portion o f the suction conduit 4| and on the verticalside with the Wall 5I. At the outer end of the conical portion 12 thewalls are flanged inwardly at 13 to provide a at face having a centralopening. Mounted in this opening is the casing 8 0 of the lrecirculatingvalve, which I will now describe.

The casing 80 has at its outer end an annular flange 8| lying againstthe frame wall 1 3. Then `the casing is shown as extending inwardly in aconical form at- 8.2 to a partition portion 83. Beyond theA partitionthe casing 84 as a cylindrical member. This cylindrical member ismounted within a cylindrical flange` 15 of the general casting.

-90designates a cap secured to the ange 8l ofthe valve, and 92 adiaphragm having its pe-` ripheral margin between thecap and flange, thecap and diaphragm being clamped in place by suitable cap screws 94.Clamped to the diaphragm by internal and external plates 95 is a'fitting 96 to which-is pivoted a rod 91 carrying the valve. T he rod 91is shown asextending wall extends at partition' 83.

The movable portion of the valve comprises a sleeve having an internalspider |0| in which the end of the rod 91 is threaded. so ,that the rod,when operated by the diaphragm to which it is attached, may operate Vthesleeve. A suitable spring, which may be a helical compression spring||0, is mounted between the diaphragm and cap 90 and tends to' maintainthe sleeve valve in the position shown in Fig. 1.

Extending through the wall of the valve cylinder 84 are openings |20communicating with the annular valve chamber 10. The drawing shows asuitable conical screen |2| surrounding the openings 20. An opening |25through the wall 5| connects the general discharge chamber with thevalve chamber. Likewise an opening |26 connects the valve chamber withthe suction conduit 46, and is formed and positioned to make a nozzledirected toward the eye of the impeller.

There is also anopening |28 through the head portion 82 of the valvecasing linto the space between the partition 83 and the diaphragm.

It results from the construction described that when the valve parts arein the position shown in Fig. 1, there is an open passageway from thedischarge chamber 41 and its lower portion 49 through the opening |25 tothe valve chamber and thence through the openings |20 to the'interior ofthe valve cylinder and then axially through the valve and the passageway|26 to the suction conduit 46. This passageway, however is closedwhenever the valve is in the position shown in Fig. 3, whereA the sleevebridges the openings |20 and interrupts the passageway.I y

I prefer to provide a self-closing valve at the suction intake 45. Asshown in Fig.l 1, this is provided by an annular member |30 carrying adisc valve |3| hinged to the annular member at |32, and coacting withthe inner face thereof. |35 indicates an annular member internallythreaded for the attachment of the suction pipe. These two annularmembers are secured together upon an interposed gasket |36 and suchparts secured to the pump casing upon an interposed gasket |31 bysuitable cap screws |38.

Describing the operating of the parts shown,

and assuming thatA the pump is standing after having been used, therewill be water in the suction passageway 46 below the suction Valvechamber and the valve will be open las shown in Fig. 1. Now when thepump starts this water primes the pump, and the rotation of the impellercarries water from the suction passageway through the orifice 42 of thevolute casing into the upper portion of the discharge chamber 41 and itslower portion 49. Some of this water passes through the ports |25 and|20 into the interior of the valve and thence through the passageway |26into the suction passageway 46. There is thus a recirculation from thedischarge chamber into the suction chamber and this continues to supplyliquid to the impeller even though air may be drawn in with the incomingliquid through thel `suction passageways.'

. through a suitable guiding bushing carried by the moved along its seatand over the openings |20 to close the same, the valve thus coming intothe position shown in Fig. 3.

The closing of the valve by the pressure in the discharge chamber shutsoff the recirculation of the liquid, and thereafterthe pump operates toreceive liquid from the suction passageway 4B' and discharge the entireamount to the delivery pipe without loss by reason of recirculation.

If at any time during the operation of the pump, air reaching theimpeller interferes With the 1mpeller throwing a solid stream of water,the resulting diminution in pressure in the discharge chamber relievesthe pressure through the opening 28 against the diaphragm and the spring||0 thereby moves the diaphragm and valve to open the ports |20. Thisenables circulation from the discharge chamber to the suction chamberand results in the priming being reestablished.

It will be`noticed that the passageway |26, which as heretofore statedforms a nozzle, discharging toward the eye of the impeller, iscomparatively close to the impeller, so that a small amount of liquidcoming-through this passageway may be effective in priming the pump. The

passageway |26 is'quite small in comparison with causes such need alsocauses the valve to open,

so that priming automatically takes place.

It will -be further seen that by reason of the sleeve valve shown thevalve is not subjected to improper action resulting from the vacuum orreduced pressure in the suction passageway. If the rotating impellershould draw fluid faster than the same can be supplied through thesuction opening, or should the suction valve fail to open, this reducedpressure does no harm since the open sleeve of the valve allows the samepressure to exist on each end thereof and hence the valve situation ascontrolled by the discharge pressure is not changed.

Pumps of this type are frequently used for drawing up water for aconsiderable height and simply allowing it to spill over from thedischarge chamber as, for instance.. in draining sumps, mines, etc.Accordingly, there is liable to be very little positive head pressure onthe discharge side while there may be a decided negative pressure on thesuction side. On'the other hand, the situation may be reversed and thepump may ldraw water from a low level and deliver it to a conslderableheight, lthus causing comparatively great positive pressure and a smallnegative pressure.

My control valve is designed to meet such varying situations by beingindependent of the pressure conditions in the suction line.

the valve and shut of! the priming water, By

making the spring ||0 light enough a very small f pressure head may besumcient to seat the valve in opposition to such spring.

vMoreover should dirt` or other foreign matter get past the screen I2|into the interior of the valve, this does no harm as the same can passreadily through the `valve and thence be dis- Hence, ex cessive suctionhas no effect in tending to seatv not needed.

charged through the openlng ,l`2 into `the suction through the valvesleeve to the suction conduit,

chamber.` f

My valve is simple in construction, there is nothing about it to get outof order and it may be readily mounted in place in its chamber and thusincommunication with both the discharge and suction passageways. n theother hand, the

valve may be readily removed whenever it is de` sired to clean theembracing screen or for any other purpose.

I claim: 1. In a pump, the combination of `an impeller,

a casing therefor having a suction oriiice anda pressure .dischargeorlnce, a conduit leading to said suction oriilce, a conduit for pumpedliquid leading from the pressure discharge orince,- a return 'passagewaylfrom theV pressure .conduit terminating in a nozzle discharginginto'the suction conduit toward the impeller, said nozzle being of acasing Itherefor having s side inlet 'and a dischargev outlet, a suctionconduit leading to the side inlet, anda conduit for pumped liquidleading from the discharge outlet', a return passage.- way from thepressure conduit terminating in a nozzle discharging into the suctionconduit toward the eye of the impeller, and m`eans controlled'by thestatic pressure above atmospheric pressure in the pressure conduit andindependent oi the suction inthe'suction conduit'tor closing saidreturn'passageway' when priming liquid is 3. In a pump, the'combinationoi.' an impeller, a suction inlet conduit and a discharge conduit, apassageway for recirculating liquid from the discharge sideof theimpeller to the suction side', and a device tor-controlling saidpassageway having a cylinder with a port and a slidable hollow sleevewithin the cylinder 'adapted to 4closethe Port. said port and saidsleeve when not `covering the port forming a portion of said passageway.

and a diaphragm subjected to the pressure of the 4. In a pump,thecombination1 an peller of means deping a suction passageway leading tothe Vimpcllerand a discharge. passage.-

way leading from thefimpeller, a valve chanribexjv in. communicationywiththe discharge passageaild pressure control means'ifor' 'operating'the v ve. j

5. In a pump, the combination, withganimpeller. oi.' vmeans denning asuction.passageway wayleading from the impellerravalve chamber incommunication withthe dischargepassageway, a valve casing in saidchamber having ,a barrel with a port through it, an open-ended adiaphragm, a rod connecting the diaphragm to the valve sleeve, a springacting against one side of the diaphragm and tending to move the valveto open position, and means for admitting pressure fluid from said valvechamber to the interior ofV the. valve case to act against the otherside of the diaphragm to close the valve.

6. A pump vhaving a suction chamber and a discharge chamber, a valveconstruction comprising a valve casing having a body and'a cylinderseparated by a partition, there being a port through the wall of thecylinder in open communication with the discharge chamber, an open endedsleeve valve in the cylinder adapted to vcover or uncover said port andhaving its interior in communication with the suction chamber, a

rod for operating the sleeve valve connected to it and passingslidably'through the partition, a diaphragm across the body of the valvecasing and connected to the rod, a spring tending to move the diaphragmin one direction, and a port discharged liquid and adapted vto operatethe isleeve. i f

through said casing body adapted to admit iluid from the dischargechamber to the space between the diaphragm and partition, to move thediaphragm in the opposite direction.

7. In a pump, the combination, with means providing a discharge chamberand a suction chamber, of a valve chamber in open communivcation withthe discharge' chamber,`a valve in lthrough the wall of the cylinder incommunica- .tion withfthe'valve chamber, a 'port through the head incommunication with the valve chamber, a diaphragm across thehead, a capclamping the diaphragm against the head, a helical spring betweenthe'cap and diaphragm tending to move the diaphragm toward thepartition, a sleeve valve in the cylinder, a rod passing through thepartition and connecting the sleeve valve with the diaphragm,a portthrough the headoi the valve casing between the diaphragm and partition,whereby pressure in the valve chamber may operate the diaphragm inopposition to the spring to move thevalve across the port of itscylinder, the. space within the valve communicating with the suctionchamber of the pump, whereby diminished discharge pressure in the 'pump'resultsin a .recirculation of the liquid from the discharge chamberthrough the valve to the suction cham- ..ber.

. 8. A. pump having a suction chamber and a discharge chamber, -aremovable valve casing in- "serted in a region in open communicationwith the discharge chamber, said valve casing having i Yu.bodyv-portionl with an annular flange by which vitis securedin placeand with a cylindricalporleading tothe impeller and a diseharsepassageltion' and a-partition between thebodyand cynn- .I drical.portion, a sleeve valve in the cylindrical portion controlling a port.through the wall thereof, and having it interior in communication withthe suction chamber, a screen surrounding the valve casing and securedthereto outside of said port, a diaphragm within said casing connectedwith'the sleeve valve, and means for subsleeve valve in the barreladapted-to close thel Jecting the diaphragm tothe in the-dischargechamber. y

ypressure oi! liquid

